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–+ servings
Golden crispy fried catfish on a plate.
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Southern Fried Catfish

Crispy golden fried catfish made with a flavorful cornmeal crust and served with homemade tartar sauce. This classic dish is crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside and packed with bold southern spices.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fish, Seafood, soul food, southern
Servings: 4
Author: August DeWindt

Ingredients

Catfish:

  • Buttermilk
  • 1 lb Catfish about 3-4 filets, you can buy a large filet and cut it into pieces
  • Cayenne pepper
  • 1 ½ c yellow cornmeal
  • ½ c all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp cajun seasoning or creole
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 2 tsp Lemon pepper
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Tartar sauce:

  • 1 c mayo
  • 1 tsp relish
  • 1 tsp capers
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp dill Chopped

Instructions

  • Add catfish filets to a bowl and pour enough buttermilk just to cover. Add cayenne pepper and mix around. Let catfish soak in buttermilk for 15-30 min. This helps get the muddy flavor out of the catfish.
    Catfish soaking in buttermilk.
  • In the meantime get a large bowl and combine the cornmeal, flour and all the seasonings. The seasoning measurements are suggested, you can put more or less.
    Cornmeal in a bowl with seasonings mixed in.
  • Now make the tartar sauce. Combine all the ingredients for the tartar sauce in a bowl and whisk until combined.
    Tartar sauce in a glass bowl.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with the oil for frying. The oil should be about 2 inches deep at least. Check to see if the oil is ready for frying, it should be between 350-375 degrees.
  • Coat each piece of fish by dipping in the cornmeal mixture. Shake off the excess buttermilk before dipping in the cornmeal.
    Catfish with breading before being fried.
  • Add the fish to the hot oil. Fry in batches, don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry for about 4 minutes per side or until the fish is a nice golden brown color. I like my fish fried hard so I’ll fry it for a while.
    Catfish frying in hot oil.
  • Set aside on a wire rack lined with paper towels to cool and let some of the oil drain.
    Fried catfish cooling on a wire rack.
  • Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!
    Golden crispy fried catfish on a plate.

Nutrition

Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 698mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1194IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 4mg